Draft-rigging.



s. A. MGCLBLLAN.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1910.

991,733. Patented May 9,1911. I

UNITED STATES SAMUEL A. MCCLELLAN,

OF SALINEVILLE, OHIO.

DRAFT-RIGGING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Application filed November 26, 1910. Serial No. 594,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. MoCLnL- LAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Salineville, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft rigging adapted particularly to railway rolling stock, and has for an object to provide a simple, yielding support and connection for draw-bars of mine cars and other light rolling stock.

The invention more particularly relates.

to an improved draft rigging which is of comparatively simple structure so as not to add any material weight to a small car, and which is adapted to be secured directly against the bottom of the same without the employment of draw-timbers, or the like.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the coupler as applied to one end of a car. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the coupler, disclosing the draw-bar in section. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the component parts of the coupler.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 10 designates a base or bottom-plate which is attached against the under side of the bottom 11 of a light car, such as a mine car. The base-plate 10 may be of any approved form, but is preferably rectangular, as disclosed, and supports against its under side a housing 12. The housing 12 is in the form of pressed steel providing an angular chamber extending practically the entire length of the base-plate 10 and being provided at its opposite ends with outturned flanges 13 seating against the ends of the base-plate 10. Clamping bolts 14 pass through the bottom 11, the base-plate 10 and the flanges 13 for supporting the members in position. The housing 12 carries a pair of transversely spaced guide-rods 15 which are longitudinally arranged in the housing and passed f through the forward and rear walls thereof. The inner ends of the guide-rods 15 are headed as at 16,- the heads seating against the outer face of the inner or rear wall of from outward movement. Collars 17 engage loosely over the outer ends of the rods 15 and are held in position by cotter pins 18 passing through the outer ends of the guiderods 15. The collars 17 rest against the outer face of the forward wall of the housing 12.

A follower 19, in the form of a cross-head or elongated block is disposed within the housing 12 and extends the entire width of the same. The follower 19 is apertured at its opposite ends to loosely receive the guide-rods 15 to hold the follower 19 in position and admit of the movement of the same longitudinally within the housing.

A draw-bar 20 passes through the housing 12 against the base-plate 10 and is rigidly secured to the centralportion of the follower 19 by bolts, or rivets 21'. The follower 20 is in the form of an elongated flattened bar which is seated at its rear end in a transverse depression in the upper face of the follower or cross-head 19 and is provided upon its inner extremity with a depending flange 22 binding against the rear edge of the follower 19 to insure the retention of the draw-bar. The flanges 13 of the housing are interrupted for the reception of the forward end of the draw-bar 20 and the depending flange 22. The draw-bar 20 extends forward from the housing 12 and passes loosely through a strap 23 attached to the under side and adjacent to the outer end of the bottom 11. The forward eX- tremity of the draw-bar 20 is forked to provide vertically spaced members for the reception of a coupling link 24 which is detachably held by a pin 25.

The follower or cross-head 19 is yieldingly held against the inner end of the casing 12 by a pair of helical expansion springs 26 carried about the guide-rods 15 and resting at their opposite extremities against the forward wall of the housing 12 and the front edge of the follower 19.

The operation of the improved draft rigging is apparent, since when the draw-bar 20 is drawn forwardly to move the car the springs 20 are compressed, to a degree dependent upon the application of the drawing force, and the follower 19 moves forthe housing 12 and holding the guide-rodswardly within the housing 12 absorbing to a large extent the shock incident to the starting of the car and insuring the gradual movement of the same.

The invention, as will be readily observed from the foregoing description, particularly aims at providing a draft rigging which is of very simple structure including but few parts and in so assembling these parts that they may be of substantial form and may be quickly and easily assembled or detached from one another.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. Draft rigging including a base-plate for attachment against the bottom of a car, a housing carried by the base-plate, a pair of spaced guide-rods longitudinally extending through the housing, a follower mounted upon the guide-rods, springs carried about the guide-rods and being interposed between the forward end of the casing and the follower, and a draw-bar attached to the follower and projecting forwardly through th casin 2. Draft rigging including a housing for attachment to a car, a pair of longitudinal guide-rods transversely spaced within the housing and having heads upon their 1nner ends engaging against the outer face of the rear wall of the housing, collars carried upon the forward ends of the guide-rods resting against the outer face of the forward wall of th housing, cotter-pins engaging through the forward extremities of the guide-rods to hold the collars in position, a follower carried upon the guide-rods and extending across the interior of the housing, a draw-bar seated across the upper face and at the central portion of the follower and having a depending flange at its rear eX- tremity binding against the rear edge of the follower, said draw-bar projecting forwardly from the housing, and expansion springs interposed between the forward wall of the housing and the forward edge of the follower.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. MOCLELLAN. [L.s.]

Witnesses:

J ETTA MCCORMICK, CLARENCE MCOLELLAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

